When I prepare the 3DAP sample of Mg alloy by FIB, the needle surface is not smooth. Is the rough surface due to the re-deposition. How could I improve the sample quality? BTW, I cleaned the sample by low voltage and low current, but it seems useless. Thanks.
Hello,
what kind of alloy is this? Maybe you have something going out or fractioning from your sample. FIB can heat the sample a lot, maybe it is thermal related effect. If it is redep, you can try cleaning your sample in larger distance from anything (like substrate), then you would have nothing to redeposite on the surface.
In that case, you have two possibilities. First is that high ion current is heating your sample and decomposing the alloy. Second one is that you are etching too fast and you have homoredeposition. I was making STM needles once and effect was the same, something on the surface. I have used low currents and lower energies, if I remember correctly. The last possibility is that you are implanting Ga ions into the sample and while heating gallium is going out.
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